Shattered Facade
by Vampiric Kiss
Summary: When Mikan's grandfather died, she threw away her mask of happiness, and the happy-go-lucky Mikan Sakura died, replaced by the REAL Mikan Sakura. Sadly for our heroine, this sudden change didn't rest well with her so-called friends.
1. Chapter 1

**Shattered Facade**  
Serenade in Silence

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_After her grandfather's death, Mikan could take no longer. She could no longer pretend to be happy, when in reality, her emotions are the exact opposite. And so... the idiotic, bubbly, dense Mikan Sakura... died, replaced by the real Mikan Sakura. Sadly for Mikan, it doesn't rest well with many of those whom she believed were her friends._

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**Prologue: What's My Fate, Sempai?**

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"Who are you?" Hotaru asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

As Mikan was about to speak up, Sumire, who has become one of her best buds since a year back, said, "Yeah. You're not the Mikan we know and love."

This statement caused a wave of agreement from their peers, and only Mikan's best friends said nothing. But... it was evident in their eyes, all but Natsume's and Koko's, that they agreed. Even Hotaru, Mikan's best friend since forever.

It pierced Mikan's heart, hurt her so badly to know that this was their reaction to her true self. No, she wasn't an impostor. She was the real deal. She just stripped off the mask she's worn for how many years and threw it away. This was the real Mikan Sakura.

They were silenced by her scoff, and all turned to look at her. Slowly turning away, she told them, "Tch. Hate me for all I care." in a voice so cold, so full of venom, but also full of masked pain. With that, she walked away, leaving them all behind, losing more people she cares about than she already has.

Her transformation, her sudden change, it all took place when she received news of the death of her last living relative, Grandpa. She couldn't hold it in anymore, and now... here she was.

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"Mikan-chan? Daijoubu?" Tsubasa asked his kouhai. "You haven't been acting yourself lately."

Lowering the arm that shielded her arms from the glaring light, Mikan looked at him coldly. "I _am_ myself," she told him. "But... feel free to leave me like they all did..."

She slouched even deeper into her seat, and re-covered her eyes with hands intertwined. "... like Mother and Father..." A sob. "... Grandpa... Hotaru..." Ragged breathing. "Ruka, Anna, Nonoko..." A teardrop. "... Yuu, Sumire... all of them." A pause. "Feel free to leave me like they all did..."

"Mikan-chan..." her sempai started worriedly. _What happened?_, he wanted to ask.

Mikan took a deep breath and breathed, "You guys are all I have left..." More tears. "Just you guys, Koko-kun, Narumi-sensei... and Natsume-kun... You guys... you guys are all I have left..."

There was an awkward silence. "Tell me, sempai," she continued, "is it my fate to suffer and slowly lose everything I have?"

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To Be Continued...

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Ah. I've long wanted to write this story, but nothing ever came to me. But today, it just... it just came, y'know? Anyways, I'm hoping to have some flashbacks in the next chapter, about how she lost certain people she cared about, but it all depends on what my imagination says. :) 'Til later!


	2. The Beginning ReWritten

**Shattered Façade  
**Vampiric Kiss

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**The Beginning (Re-Written)**

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"Who are you?" Hotaru asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

As Mikan was about to reply—and sarcastically, might I add—Sumire, who has become good friends with Mikan a few years back, added, "Yeah. You're not the Mikan we know and love." This caused a wave of agreement from most of their peers; those who Mikan has considered as friends since her arrival (Hotaru and Sumire obviously do not belong in this group) remained silent. However, a few had their eyes downcast, avoiding her gaze, giving away their thoughts on the matter.

This caused a pang in Mikan's heart, and she tightened her haw and hardened her glare—all in order to keep her tears bottled up no matter what. This Mikan was no impostor. She was the real deal. She just stripped off the mask she had worn for almost her whole life. She couldn't keep up the cheerful facade anymore after her last living relative—the one who single-handedly took care of her since her parents' death and up until her departure for Alice Academy—Grandpa passed away and left her.

She turned, but before walking away, she said, "Tch. Hate me for all I care," in a voice so full of hatred, so full of venom, but also of masked pain.

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"Mikan-chan, daijoubo?" Tsubasa asked his favorite kouhai, concern evident in his voice. No reply. "Did something happen? You're not yourself."

Lowering the arm that shielded her arms from the glaring light, Mikan glared at him. "I _am_ myself," she hissed. Pausing, as if recalling some painful memory, she slouched back down on her seat and re-covered her eyes with intertwined hands. With a deep breath, she continues, "But... feel free to leave me like they all did... like Jii-san... like Hotaru... like all of them."

By this time, she was breathing raggedly, her chest heaving up and down shakily, but she let no tears escape. Her ragged breathing became the only sound in the room, until Mikan decided to break it once more. "Sempai... tell me. Is it my fate to suffer and slowly lose everything I have?"

Tsubasa could only frown and sigh. The silence was overwhelming, but he didn't know what to say, know how to comfort her.

Mikan felt a flick on her forehead, sending her head backwards, and she saw a gaping Tsubasa and an angered Misaki.

"Weren't you the one that told me that everything happens for a purpose?" Mikan and Tsubasa looked surprised at what she said. Misaki continued, "You told me that if something happens to me, whether it's good or bad, it must have happened for a reason. That I should be strong and it would turn out for the best. That letting it get to me only proves I'm weak. Weren't you the one that told me that? Huh? Where's that Mikan? Don't tell me that even your words were lies, because if that's the case, then get the hell out of my sight." Misaki fumed but said no more, for fear that she might say things she doesn't mean.

"Mi...saki-sempai..." Mikan's lips quivered, and she sniffed. Then, she launched hereself at Misaki, finally letting out the tears she's bottled up up until now. No words were spoken, but the message was clear: _I'm sorry._

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_To Be Continued..._

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Geh. I'm so sorry, everyone, for leaving you all hanging for how many months and only coming back with this. I'm sorry. I was unsure, really, of how to continue the story. That, plus, the one I've previously written was deleted (blame my dad), so I had to start all over again. ((headwall)) But I promise that despite my busy schedule, I'll try to make time for this story. Updates will most likely be really slow, what with my extremely busy schedule, now being in high school and all, so I apologize for slow updates in advance. ((bow))

I thank everyone who have put up with me all this time. I also thank those who have continually pestered me in updating my stories. I love you, and you know it. I'm taken by My Hopeless Romantic though, so sorry. :P Hehehe. Everyone's invited; Twilight premieres, November 21. :)

I'll put in the real chapter 2 once I've written it, and replace the first chapter with this. :) As for now, I'll let you guys get the alert and read and review this. :)

Also, please make sure to visit my blog once in a while. Link is on my page. :)

Chris-chii.


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